Asa Baako (One Dance Festival) Annually Busua, Ghana

Every year around the weekend of March 6th (Independence Day in Ghana) there is a music and dance festival in a beach town called Busua. This festival is called Asa Baako translating to 1 dance. The last time I went was in 2020 right before the lock down and covid. That year I believe was the 10th year and the 7th time I have gone. 2021 did not go on and 2022 was much smaller and I did not go.

2022 was the last year I went and I organized the above trip with that flyer and the one below. Here I will share some of the highlights from throughout the years. It is usually about a week filled with partying on the beach, surfing and jungle parties.

2014 was the fist year I went. I went on my own as I did not have a lot of friends yet at that time. I went and stayed at a friends little eco-lodge which is about a 40 minute walk from the beach with the festival.

Where I stayed was a peaceful green oasis far from the noise and festivities.

Each day I would walk over this cape in the morning and down this beach to join the party and do some surfing. And in the evening I would walk back or somehow find a ride back.

I managed to find some time to even help my friend with some planting on his farm on a hill side in the bush.

One of my trips through the jungle in a mini bus I rode with Jesus.

This was still early in the festival days and it had yet to grow to the crowd it is today. The activity during the day would be on the beach and around a stage there, some surfing or different activities.

Some more pics of people having fun enjoying paradise.

At night the action is at the jungle party. A place in a near by palm oil plantation is cleared out, a bar is set and the DJ blasts music into the jungle for everyone to get wild in a rave atmosphere.

2015-2018 was more of the same but it seems I don't have as much pictures. I stayed with my friend in the neighboring village for a couple of years and then in 2017 I started sleeping in a hammock at the festival between some palm trees at the beach.

On the walk between the villages is this bridge over a river which is quite exciting as it moves with each step.

Bone fire on the beach.

A friends beach bar setup on the beach.

2016 was the first year I drove my truck Bucket to the festival and I got recruited into helping a friend setup her beach bar.

Myself sitting on a giant penis swing.

Bucket enjoying being part of the adventure.

My friend Tasia and her beach bar that she set up each year. The most common hang out for my friends and I.

Relaxing on the beach with friends.

Tasia again posing in yellow at her bar.

2019 myself and some friends decided to change things up a bit. For the first part of the week we went to Escape 3 Points Ecolodge about 45 minutes drive on a very rough road from Busua and we enjoyed some peaceful time there before we went and joined the end of the festival.

The road to Escape 3 Points was very rough that year and muddy but bucket made it. You can see bucket next to a big german overland truck. The day before this truck got very stuck on the road and had to be pulled out by a tractor so I was very proud of bucket.

My friend the owern of Escape, his father built this sail boat in the 90s and he recently came back and restored it.

Me and bucket posing for a picture.

Taking some time to chill in the sun. Please dont blame me if this picture blinds you.

A view of the Cape 3 Points area from the lighthouse near by.

Getting some surfing in.

Another picture of the warram catamaran

My friend Eli on top of the lighthouse.

From Escape 3 Points we moved to the Festival for the rest of the week for some partying and time on the beach there too.

Me talking to one of the DJs getting ready to enjoy the show

Cracking some coconuts before a hike over the cape to my friends place.

Taking a long walk down the beach

Admiring some obscene beach art.

Eli doing some running on the beach.

One of the many stages on the beach jamming.

At one point during the festival a DJ friend of mine setup the DJ booth in the back of Bucket and pulled a train of speakers down the one road in the village and made a moving street party.

When 2020 came around I wanted to curate a trip and do something different and this is what the posters at the start of the trip were for. The plan was to rent a Tree House a little outside of town and use that as a base to explore the festival. I didn't get the number of travelers I wanted but we still went and had a good time.

We all piled into bucket and and stacked surfboards on top and did the 7 hour drive from Accra to the tree house. Bucket had a fresh bodywork and paint done along with new suspension raising it a bit.

Bucket from the window of the tree house.

The Tree House.

Overlooking the beach community where the festival is. It was about a 15 minute walk from the tree house.

Unpacking bucket.

Enjoying some good food and wine in the treehouse.

The one bedroom in the treehouse.

A breakfast.

My hammock setup down below.

Eli getting ready for his day at the festival. Notice the pack of condoms hanging out of the vest we helped him with.

The entry to the river at one side of the beach where fishing boats pull in and out of.

A stage setup and show by a friend Tommy Wa.

Some dark clouds rolled in one afternoon and gave a bit of a storm.

My friend Mirco playing around with a wig on.

He is looking like the clown in the horror movie IT.

We took a walk over the cape to my friends place in the next village here is the foot bridge again.

A view while hiking over the cape.

The rest of the pictures are at the final Jungle party. 2020 was the biggest year yet and this festival is now on the international map. Hope you enjoyed the wild ride with me.